So, yeah, we Americans don't always have it all together in the stress department. As a whole, we work too much, sleep too little, and have a thing for junk food. Europeans, while not perfect, obviously, practice some health habits that are worth trying, like this stress-zapping strategy after a long day of work: "When I come home from a stressful day, I relax with a petit aperitif--the French ceremony of having a small glass of wine with a side of cashew nuts or pita chips with hummus and olives," says Ingrid Jackel, CEO of Physicians Formula, who lives in Toulouse. "Then I'm ready to cook dinner!" I think this is so brilliant, because so often we're starving when we're cooking dinner (or ordering takeout) and that intense hunger may make you eat more than you want at dinner (or sample too much while cooking!). I also love the concept of sitting down, chilling out and simply pausing for a moment after a hectic day. Brilliant tip! Will you have a petit aperitif tonight? More reading: *The ice cube diet? *The world's booziest diet plans--eeks! *Make this your new fave healthy pre-dinner snack! Photo: CN Digital Studio read more

Celebrity chef Devin Alexander shares her recipe for rum balls that contain half the calories and a tiny fraction of the fat in traditional butter-laden recipes. Bonus: One serving serves up four grams of fiber! Devin Alexander’s Holiday Rum Balls Reprinted from The Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook by Devin Alexander Makes 14 balls Ingredients: 1 table spoon + 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1-1/2 cups pitted dates 2/3 cup old-fashioned oats 2 tablespoons dark rum 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon allspice Directions: Add 1 tablespoon of the cocoa to a small bowl and set aside. Place the dates in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a chopping blade. Process them until they are very finely chopped and stick together. Add the oats, rum, vanilla, allspice, and the remaining 1/4 cup cocoa. Continue processing the mixture until the oats are finely chopped and the mixture sticks together (do not overprocess the mixture or it will become extremely sticky and very difficult to work with). Using a spatula, transfer the mixture to a small mixing bowl or mound it on a cutting board. Divide it into 14 equal amounts (about 1 tablespoon each). Shape each into read more

Want to burn more calories next time you hit the gym? Of course you do! Nope, it has nothing to do with what you eat before or after. Instead, experts say it’s who you work out with. Kansas State University researchers report that to really work hard during a workout, you should partner up with your fittest, most driven friend. Here’s why: Oddly, in their study, they found that people burned a lot more calories—as in 200 percent more—when they worked out alongside someone the study participants perceived as being more physically fit than they were. Here's one lady who might join you to amp up that, ahem, motivation factor. Lady, stop staring at me. And stop modeling, OK? Aren't you here to work out? "People like to exercise with others and make it a social activity," the lead researcher said. "We found that when you're performing with someone who you perceive as a little better than you, you tend to give more effort than you normally would alone." But wait, what about our pals who are a bit, well, less fit? Isn’t this all sort of discriminatory? I was fascinated by this post over on Jezebel, which tackles the read more

Do the holidays stress you out? I'll admit, as much as I love this time of the year, I definitely feel the weight of it all. But, if long lines, bad weather or irritating relatives are getting on your nerves these days, consider this important health warning. "Being impatient could cause anxiety and hostility," says Daniel Baugher, dean of graduate programs at Pace University in New York City who has studied personality and social psychology. "And if you're constantly anxious, your sleep could be affected, too." But that's not all: NBC took a look at the past research, and being an impatient person could increase your risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. "High blood pressure is a symptom that the body is going into overdrive," Baugher says. "The whole body gets geared up for a fight." I don't know about you, but this is an important reminder to me to chill out. No sense letting small things fire off excessive levels of adrenaline or cortisol in my bod. (Oh, and that sneaky cortisol might also lead to weight gain, too--eeks!) So my dears, let's practice being mellow--even if your office-mate's gum-smacking is really driving you crazy. Do you read more

If you've been noticing more blemishes lately, you're not alone. Adult acne affects as many as 50 percent of women, and while a pimple here or there is totally normal (like the occasional stress zit), larger, more frequent outbreaks could signal an underlying health condition, say experts. In a new report, Dr. Kanade Shinkai, a dermatologist at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, says that many women are put on antibiotic treatments for acne, when the underlying cause could be a hormone imbalance that needs addressing. (A hormone imbalance could produce other systems, too. Women may notice, along with acne, more facial hair growth and irregular periods.) If you have acne coupled with more symptoms, check with your doctor to see if there's a treatment that can clear your skin and get your hormones back in balance. Here's to us all feeling beautiful--inside and out! Have you struggled with serious acne in your life? P.S. The surprising product that hides acne scars. And, the sad link between acne and this scary thing... Video Still: Cassandra Bankson read more

Ever worried that your wine habit in the evenings might be getting a leetle bit out of hand? One glass becomes two, and two becomes three--you get the idea. Heavy drinking (for us gals, that means more than two glasses a day and upward) is linked with all kinds of serious health conditions, including liver and heart disease. And researchers in England have a suggestion about how to curb your habit back a bit. Don't get all Cougar Town, à la Courteney Cox: In this ep, when Jules realized that the cul-de-sac crew didn't celebrate Thanksgiving together, she decides to celebrate the holiday, even though it's spring. They found that people in their study who thought about restraint every time they saw an image of an alcoholic beverage (beer, wine, you name it) were less likely to over-indulge later. Moral of the story: Train yourself to think about restraint when you think about your favorite glass of red wine. The University of Liverpool's Matt Field, one of the lead researchers, explains that most of the time, people drink too much because they simply forget to put the brakes on: "It is thought that people who drink alcohol at unsafe levels read more

Guess what, gals? Veggies may actually give you a boost ... in the bedroom. According to a new study published in the journal Hormones and Behavior, primates who ate a mostly plant-based diet (composed of lots of tofu and fruits and veggies) had a lot more sex than the meat-eating monkeys. OK, so yes, we're not monkeys, but the researchers say they can draw a connection between the so-called sex-hormone-like "phytoestrogens" found in plants and increased sexual behavior. Of course, PETA's been at it for years, claiming that veggie-lovers are better in bed, but now I guess they have a little more science to back it up. What do you think? Sort of makes you want to have a salad for lunch, huh? (Giggle.) More reading: *Sexual health: Stressed, depressed? You may be forgetting this super important thing! *OMG: There really is such thing as a breast orgasm... *Kim Kardashian on the ... sex diet. Photo: istock read more

I'll be honest: Pregnancy wasn't my cup of tea. The weight gain, the moodiness, the food restrictions. But, some people loooooooove having a baby in their belly, like Shakira. Shakira and her soccer star boyfriend, Gerard Piqué, are expecting their first child soon--a boy--but the Columbian-born singer says she isn't in a hurry to be done with pregnancy anytime soon. She loves pregnancy, it seems! After Instagramming a photo of herself with her boyfriend, she shared, "I could have another nine months like this!" I think it's so interesting how some women adore pregnancy, and others don't. While I definitely was excited about my pregnancies (and the three healthy baby boys I delivered) I didn't exactly enjoy the journey, and when the third trimester rolled around, I was always eying the calendar thinking "almost done!" How about you? If you've had a baby, did you like being pregnant? Or did you not? Those who've never been preggers, do you think you'll like being with child? P.S. Speaking of pregnancy, here's the number one fall reminder for pregnant women (and those who love them)... Photo: Instagram read more

In a recent interview with Self, Hayden Panettiere says she recently decided that vegetarianism isn't for her. "I tried vegetarianism, but my body didn't respond well," she says. "I was low-energy. Now I make egg-white scrambles with veggies for breakfast. For lunch, I have chicken or fish and greens, which are good for keeping your system working. I'm a fan of sushi for dinner, as long as the fish aren't endangered." On when she likes to treat herself: "When I indulge, I try to do it in the morning so I can burn it off. It's my responsibility to be healthy and, no, I'm not going to starve. I'm sorry—I can't be full on salad." I was a vegetarian for years, then switched back to eating meat now and then, and now am back on the veggie (and really almost-vegan) side of the fence, I definitely understand diet flip-flopping. And though I don't think I can imagine eating meat, personally, ever again, I do think our bodies have different needs at different times. How about you? Have you ever flip-flopped about vegetarianism? What's your eating history? More reading: *4 new fitness experiences I want to try in 2013 *3 read more

Feeling a little grinchy? Researchers in Germany say the quickest way to feel better in the morning is to drink coffee! Past research has indicated that coffee might improve your cognitive function (think: quicker responses in your morning staff meeting), but now they say that java may also make you feel happier. Apparently the caffeine in coffee plays a role in boosting dopamine transmission. As a quick refresher, dopamine is a neurotransmitter that aids in the feeling of pleasure and reward. So, there's your excuse to splurge on a (light) egg nog latte this week! Are you a coffee drinker? P.S. Could your purse be making you feel depressed? And, coffee may fight the world's most common cancer--wow! read more

I know we still have a few weeks to go before we ring in the New Year, but why not kick off the beginning of the holiday season by planning all the cool fitnessy things we want to try next year? What's on your list? Here's mine... read more

Morning lovelies! There's something about the month of November that makes me crave cranberries. They're fresh and in-season now, and so good for you. Here are 10 ideas for fresh cranberries... read more

I just got a copy of Kris Carr's new book in the mail, Crazy Sexy Kitchen, and I've been drooling over all the amazingly healthy plant-based recipe ideas, like this one for eggless egg nog... read more